THOMAS HORNSBY FERRIL/PART TWO
In a previous entry, I mentioned Mr. Ferril who designed the first letterhead for Graland. On Wednesday’s evening, I sat in bed and thought about this man. After spending some time searching on the Internet, I did not find any Graland connection. I asked Jim Arneill, but the name did not “ring that bell.” I was reading a thriller in bed, and suddenly there was a silent slap in my brain. I mumbled, “Fetter!”
And. . . that Fetter lady whose company I so enjoyed during the writing of the book for the seventy-fifth anniversary did not disappoint. On page five of her book was the information I needed:
“Colorado poet laureate Thomas Hornsby Ferril, a Graland parent and member of the Educational Policies Committee during Graland’s formative years, later recalled some of the earlier planning meetings. ‘I well remember one session in which everybody was going whole hog for progressive education; old-fashioned discipline was out.’ (In fact,) Ferril, who had a wicked sense of humor once lectured parents on the value of frustration in a child’s education.. . . Ferril (also) put together a brochure for the school. . . his daughter Anne modeled the school uniform. His wife, Hellie, drove a bus for Anne’s tuition. . . She also fed the burro and goldfish, 'gingerly' cared for some of the snakes, and supervised the playground.”
The above paragraph captured my attention. How I wish I had known this family. I did find a collection of his poems and will read them. That’s the least I could do for the man who designed what is close to my favorite Graland letterhead.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
